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“ Don’t you want to save the world? Be a hero? ”
Arios looked at the child standing in front of him, his golden eyes piercing him with a sort of otherworldly presence. For some reason he knew this child wasn’t joking. He swallowed thickly, thinking about his ruined village, the people he couldn't protect.
Being a hero doesn’t sound bad at all.
As if reading his mind, the strange child smiled softly, and put his hand on Arios’ chest. Before he could even utter a single word, he felt power surge through his body, crumbling to his knees in his attempt to keep himself grounded to reality. Chest heaving, he looks up at this child who now held out a gleaming silver sword, with an ornate gold and white handle.
“You are now the proud owner of Eschude. Use it well, and save the world from the dreaded Demon King, for it is in your destiny.” The child spoke authoritatively, handing the sword over to Arios.
Arios nodded slowly, still kneeling. He took the sword gently into his hands. It seemed like any normal sword, but it hummed with energy, almost as if waiting for it’s owner to finally set it free on the world. He grasped it tighter, and looked at the child, who stood there silently, observing his actions with no discernible emotion. Breaking free from his large golden irises, Arios placed the sword on his belt, and held his hand out to the young child. Somehow he felt the need to be formal with this kid who seemed much younger than him.
“I’m Arios Theoman, who are you?”
The young child smiled unnervingly, and held Arios’ hand gingerly, before speaking.
“Just call me Cola, I am the Hero’s follower, and will guide you to your tasks. Pleased to meet you.”
How well spoken...for someone his age…. Arios thought to himself, but pushed the intrusive thought away. He smiled at Cola and stood back up, the earlier tension and stress leaving him. He was now a Hero! He could finally help save people and gain the power to save humanity!
Cola looked at his bright face, and almost pitied the young man.
Almost.
--
“What human has caught your fancy this time Cola?” ALICE asked bemusedly as she sat next to him.
Cola tilted his head to the side, but didn’t look up at the God who asked the question. He fiddled with his hair, twisting the silver strands between his fingers as he looked down at Arios from the heavens.
“Not fancy, ALICE, more like...enjoy? I enjoy his pitiable nature and...purposeless life.”
He stood up from his spot, taking his time as he moved to the edge of the cloud he and ALICE were sitting on and gazed at the small villages that dotted the lands. ALICE looked at him with her usual stoic expression, staying silent as she watched him stare down at the one village he was keeping such a close eye on. Sighing quietly, ALICE stood up as well, moving towards Cola to join him in his peculiar voyeurism.
Arios Theoman, the useless hero, was sitting on a haystack with a girl, laughing and chatting away, without a care in the world.
Cola clicked his tongue. Disgusting. Peace was all humanity cared about. This little illusion they clung onto for a millennia was nothing but lies. How laughable.
Except he isn’t laughing. Why? Looking at the useless, weak hero didn’t make him feel anything but disgust and hatred. His stomach burned as he saw him laughing at something the insignificant little girl said to him. Oh, how he wanted Arios to suffer! To fall to his knees crying and begging for forgiveness, for salvation. Yes, he would have to rely on him, on Cola, to give him his powers back, to make him useful enough to not die from some puny low level monster. He would have to cling to him like a weakling, listen to his every word, please him with all his might. He grinned to himself at the thought.
“Cola? Cola! Hey, are you even listening to me?” ALICE said, waving a hand in front of Cola, breaking his train of thought. He looked at the God, grin disappearing.
“Sorry, could you repeat what you said?” ALICE rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly.
“I was asking when you were going to announce the new Hero? The Hero System needs to keep going, the Demon King has yet to die. Especially with that anomaly protecting her.”
Cola huffed. He knew he was the one in charge of the Hero System, but he still has yet to find a good hero that was pitiful enough for his liking. If only he could use Arios once again....Turn back time, make Arios young enough to wield Eschude again, and watch him lose faith in humanity. The thought was enough for him to giggle like a maiden in love. Ah yes! He could ask Serachrolas to turn back time for Arios! What a wonderful idea. All he needed to do was set the perfect plan to make sure Arios would be forced to accept his help.
Practically skipping, he headed down to Earth, leaving ALICE by herself to wonder what in the hell was wrong with him.
--
How pathetic, Arios thought, hiding in the storage house by himself as he heard the screams of the villagers outside.
The monster army attacked so suddenly and without warning that none of the villagers were able to arm themselves in time. He was lucky enough to be working in the horse stables when they started their massacre, as he was able to sprint to the storage house in the outskirts of the village before they saw him. Without the strength of being a Hero, he was just a normal villager, weak and unable to fight against even the weakest monsters. Cursing silently, he stayed as still as possible as he heard the thrumming of the monsters running through the village killing all the humans they saw. He hoped Nina was alright.
Nina. Oh god, Nina. Arios’ paled as he remembered his girlfriend was in the village and was probably unable to escape. He needed to save her. He needed to go now, or it might be too late. He immediately scrambled towards the window facing the main village plaza, looking to see if the coast was clear enough for him to run in. Instead, he was greeted with a sight he nearly vomited from.
Nina’s head. No torso attached to the pale head of his beloved. Her cheeks gaunt from a silent scream. Her hair cut short from a dull blade, frayed bits sticking out as she bounced on the floor. The monsters were kicking her head around like a sick, twisted game of soccer.
Arios wanted to scream.
He wanted to go out there and destroy those wretched monsters. Tear them into pieces, smash their skulls in. If only he was still a Hero. If only he was still strong enough. If only Cola was here to order him to slaughter these ugly creatures, he wouldn’t be cowering in this storage room like a useless piece of garbage. In desperation, Arios fell to the floor and placed his hands together, a silent and useless prayer to the Gods above to give him power. He tore his eyes away from the sickening play of the monsters and focused his eyes on the sky above, clear and blue.
If there is any God out there, if there is anyone who can grant me the power to kill these monsters, please help me. I beg of you.
Arios closed his eyes and bowed his head down, no longer caring about keeping silent, and started sobbing. Tears flowing freely, he waited for the monsters to reach him and end his misery once and for all. He heard footsteps approaching him, and braced himself. Instead of cold metal hitting his flesh however, he felt a small hand touch his forehead. Blinking through the tears, he looked up to see Cola standing there, no older than the first time they met so many years ago. His golden eyes almost glowing in the shadow of the storage room.
“Y-You heard my prayer…” Arios whispered, almost to himself. Cola looked at him impassively, before pulling from behind him a young girl wearing nothing but a decorative scarf. She looked at Arios inquisitively before whispering something to Cola. He nodded at her before dragging her towards Arios.
“You lost what you considered most precious. You are the most pathetic human being I’ve ever met, but that doesn’t mean I don’t consider you a good candidate for being a Hero again.” Cola pushed the little girl in front of him and continued.
“She is Serchrolas, a monster gal that can control time. She can turn you back into a 19 year old, giving you one year of time to destroy the Demon King once and for all. This time, I’ll explain to you your actual role, but can you promise me that no matter what I tell you, you won’t refuse to be a Hero?”
Arios doesn't think.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll do anything. Just give me power.” He pleads, bowing his head down as low as it can go, groveling like a worm on a fishing line. Cola felt his heart leap with joy. How adorable. He gently places his hands onto the broken mans head, and lifts his face up to meet his.
Cola looks into his broken dull eyes, and smiles. Ahh, this is exactly what he had wanted. Arios was broken, pleading at his feet, and the nuisance he fawned over was dead! How perfect.
Arios was his again, and this time, he was going to be the one to kill him.